A/N:

The Avengers, Loki, Iron Man, or anything of the like. Just the thoughts inside my head. And taking some personal freedoms with mythology and lore.


"Heimdall." Balder quickly approached the gatekeeper as they stepped through the bi-frost. "Where is Jotho?"

"I regret to inform that he has clouded himself from my vision." The Guardian looked at Balder, then back at Loki, being flanked by Steve and Nathan. "I extend my pleasure at seeing all of you in relatively good health." He placed a hand on Balder's shoulder, leaning in closer. "I fear that Anthony is in trouble. He came here three days ago and he also has been clouded from my vision. I dare not speak of it to Loki yet, for I've seen-" Balder nodded, cutting him off.

"I'll tell him myself." Balder let out a little sigh. "I'll set out the search party immediately. Right now I have to get these ones to the Healers, and find a traitor in the midst. You haven't seen anything stirring in Alfheim around Thor and my parents have you?" Heimdall shook his head and Balder gave a sigh of relief.

"I shall help in anyway that I can." Balder nodded gratefully.

Balder walked over to Loki whose attention was focused on the little boy in his arms. "Loki, we should let the Healers look at him, and you." He lifted green eyes to meet Balder's. "Don't give me that look, you don't scare me. I want you to get checked, take Nathan and Steve with you. I am going to find Jotho, you can count on that." Loki blinked, then nodded once. Balder put a hand on the back of his neck. "Thank you."

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Balder ordered the guards to search for Jotho, and his assistant, to be detained immediately. he went himself to Jotho's personal chambers, sensing the adviser there. He pushed the door open quietly, kicking it closed. He walked through the main room, into the bedroom and leaned against the opening to a private study. Jotho didn't stop what he was doing.

"I'm sure that seeing me must be a surprise," Balder started, watching the older man.

"It is regrettable, I admit. I assume you all survived?" Jotho finally turned to look at him. "Even the child?"

"Despite your best attempts," Balder almost growled at him. "Answer me a question or two, and I won't let my brother tear your to pieces with his own hands. Do you plot against us all? The Allfather included?" The man merely laughed.

"The mortals dying would have been overlooked, death by Trials, nothing new. You and that monster you call a brother? An act of war declared by Jotunheim, a final act from a dying realm." He smiled at Balder, a smile from a madman. "Peace talks don't exactly go as planned, and when it is all done, the oldest, and more trusted, loyal adviser steps forward to help rebuild Asgard's people."

Balder rolled his neck a little. He wanted to tear the man apart himself, but he need to ask at least one more question. "Where is Anthony Stark? Have care of your answer, for my patience is no more, and I want a straight answer."

"Ah yes, that one. He came to me, wanting to know where you were. I traded him away as the price for a deal. Worth more than I owed in all honesty, but you get what you pay for, and I want the best." He snorted and laughed. "I would be very interested to see what he is now. I never did look more into the-" Jotho's eyes widened and he looked down, eyes widening a little before he fell to the ground, arrow in his back. Balder pulled his sword immediately, defense position, ready. He stepped into the study and saw someone sink into the shadows.

Balder grabbed the arrow from Jotho's body and threw it, hearing a satisfying thud. Jogging over he grabbed the arm of the culprit. He jumped back when a dagger was slashed at him suddenly and the figure disappeared. Balder blinked, shocked, before he heard the guards run into the room.

"My lord?" Balder turned around to see the heard of the guard.

He moved his jaw a little as he thought about what he just saw. "Send more guards to the Healers rooms. Jotho was a traitor, plotting the death of the royal line, and consorting with the Dark elves. One of them concealed their way into Asgard, and I want eyes on my brother, his son, and the Midgardians. Now!" The man nodded, bowing slightly before hurrying out of the room.

The bastard had killed Jotho before he could find out the exact location of Tony, but he had a very strong lead now. He just needed to figure out how to tell Loki without him destroying every realm.

========

Tony took deep breaths, leaning back against the tree, trying to keep his eyes open. His arms had been freed, and his fingers tapped on the reactor out of nervous habit. He'd leave, if his legs didn't feel useless to him, much like the rest of his body.

He turned his head a little when he heard the crunching of ground beneath boots. A week ago he wouldn't have heard that. He saw the same elf kneel down in front of him, inspecting him. "Seems we have to move you a little earlier than I would have thought. Let's test and see how progress is coming, hmm?"

The elf stood up and a crackled of magenta power lit up on his fingers. He lifted both hands up and Tony's body suddenly moved on its own, standing up. Tony frowned and looked at the elf. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"You mean what Are we doing to you," he smirked and made a motion with his hand, Tony's legs starting to walk, following the elf. "You," the elf pointed at Tony as they walked, "are what they will never see coming."

============

Balder yawned and rolled over in the bed he was in and slowly opened his eyes. He was in the Healer's quarters as well and his whole body felt exhausted. The sun was just coming up and he let out a breath. At least he had gotten a couple hours of sleep.

"You've been asleep for longer than you think." Balder jumped at Loki's soft voice and turned to see him sitting in a chair. He was holding onto his son, holding onto a bottle.

"Shit, you scared me." Balder sat up and rubbed his face. "What do you mean?"

"You came in here two days ago, slept through the entire day yesterday and you're just now waking up," Loki answered him. "You aren't the only one, Nathan is still sleeping. I've been assured that he's going to be fine though. It's going to take a bit for his body to adjust to being a normal temperature again. Rogers will be fine as well, he is healing from the bite of a Jotun on his side, but is fine otherwise."

"And you and,..." Balder looked at the bundle in Loki's arms.

"Eindride is what I have been calling him," Loki said, looking down at the feeding infant. "But I don't think it shall be a very good name for Midgard, so I'll call him Anders, Anders Anthony. And we are both fine." Balder looked at the two of them then let out a breath. "I wanted to give you the time you needed to tell me where Tony is. I won't going charging after him, not at this moment, so don't worry."

"You know you were pretty damn scary back on Jotunheim, right?"

"Good, then no one will think to underestimate me, or think that I am weak because of my children." Loki looked up at Balder, face calm, but voice laced with a threat. "They will know that I Will kill for my children, and that I am not to be trifled with."

"I don't have an exact location on Tony, but I think I know who took him..." Balder wasn't sure what scared him more. Loki's barely contained anger, or not knowing where Tony was but who he was with. "I believe he is with the Svartalfar."

"Which ones?" Balder blinked at the calmly asked question. "Which group of elves? This is very important."

"There are different ones?" Balder frowned.

"There are dark elves, and then there are the dangerous ones," Loki started to explain. "They are tainted by the Fae, most having been stolen by Fae, changlings. There is a group that focuses on making more changlings. Balder it's very important to know who he is with. Think back to anything that Jotho said before he died."

Balder took a breath and closed his eyes, trying too recall anything that might help. "Said he traded him to complete the price for a deal he made, um, something he'd want to see what he was now? I didn't understand that at first." He saw Loki's body tense up. "Could they do that to Tony? Could they change him? He's not exactly mortal aymore, he's Asgardian-"

"And has the arc reactor in his chest, it isn't entirely magic proof. I don't know what could be happening to him, not after all this time. It is now imperative that we find him as soon as possibly." Loki leaned the boy up to burp him. "Time may be running out."